Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia) that causes the heart to lose pumping capacity. If such a problem is not corrected quickly—typically within minutes—the rest of the body loses oxygen and the person dies. Therefore, prompt care of a person undergoing VF can be key to a positive outcome for such a person.
One common way to treat ventricular fibrillation is through the use of an electrical defibrillator that delivers a relatively high-voltage shock to the heart in order to force it back to a normal, consistent, and strong rhythm. People who have had previous problems with ventricular fibrillation may be implanted with an automatic defibrillator, or be provided a wearable defibrillator, that constantly monitors the condition of their heart and applies a shock when necessary. Other people may be treated using a portable external defibrillator, such as in a hospital or by emergency medical technicians, or via an automatic external defibrillator (AED) of the kind that is frequently seen in airports, public gymnasiums, and other public spaces. Defibrillation may be delivered in coordination with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), which centers around the provision of repeated compressions to a victim's chest, such as by a rescuer pressing downward repeatedly with the palms of the hands, or via an automatic mechanical compression device.